This invention relates to a system for displaying an area outside a normal viewing area to a vehicle driver.
Camera systems are beginning to appear in motor vehicles for safety/security reasons including rear view blind spot, night vision, rear passenger monitoring, etc. These systems are xe2x80x9chard-wiredxe2x80x9d to the motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,841 discloses a security system for a public transportation vehicle including a plurality of mounted cameras inside and outside for observing internal and external activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,079 discloses a monitoring system for a tractor and the like including a video camera facing the rear of the vehicle and a monitor facing the driver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,120 discloses a combination vanity console and video imaging device including a mirror with means for controlling reflected light and video cameras.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,238 discloses a vision enhancement system for a vehicle including video images reflected on a mirror for a rearview mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,443 discloses a vehicle monitoring apparatus including three video cameras mounted on vehicles, one pointing rearward and one to each side, plus a display, CRT, mounted on a vehicle""s dashboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,017 discloses a video recording system for a vehicle including four cameras with fisheye lenses having one pointing to front, rear driver and front seat and means for switching between the four.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,420 discloses a vehicle video recording system including three video cameras and means for directing signals to a recorder or to a monitor, the system being triggered by a vehicle turn signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,123 discloses a vehicle monitoring system including three video cameras mounted on sides and rear pointing to rearward plus a recorder and a display unit to detect objects not readily seen by a driver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,953 discloses a camera system for recording school bus violations including means for detecting vehicle motions in a violation zone and camera for recording vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,962 discloses an automatic rearview mirror system including a photosensor array as means of controlling the amount of light reflected by a mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,019 discloses a radio-controlled vehicle includes a video camera for transmitting real-time video images and a vehicle wireless transmitter and receiver.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved system for displaying an area outside a normal viewing area to a vehicle driver.
In carrying out the above object and other objects of the present invention, a system is provided for displaying an area outside a normal viewing area to a vehicle driver. The system includes a self-powered, mobile camera unit including a camera for generating images of objects, a camera control unit for controlling the camera, a camera transceiver unit coupled to the camera control unit for wirelessly transmitting the images and a first plurality of docking connectors coupled to the camera control unit. The system also includes a vehicle transceiver unit for wirelessly receiving the transmitted images, a vehicle control unit coupled to the vehicle transceiver unit, a display coupled to the vehicle control unit for displaying the received images inside the normal viewing area of the vehicle driver, and a second plurality of docking connectors removably interconnected, both physically and electrically, to the first plurality of docking connectors at a docking station and coupled to the vehicle control unit. The first and second plurality of docking connectors couple camera control signals from the vehicle control unit to the camera control unit when the first and second plurality of docking connectors are physically and electrically interconnected. The camera control signals are wirelessly transmitted by the vehicle transceiver unit and wirelessly received by the camera transceiver unit when the camera unit is removed from the docking station.
The camera control signals may include on and off signals for turning the camera on and off, respectively.
The camera may include a zoom lens wherein the camera control signals include a zoom control signal for controlling the zoom lens.
The camera unit may include at least one motor coupled to the camera wherein the camera control signals include at least one motor control signal for controlling movement of the camera.
The camera unit may include a tilt motor and a scan motor both coupled to the camera wherein the camera control signals include motor control signals for controlling tilt and scan of the camera.
The system may further include a manually-operable driver control unit coupled to the vehicle control unit for generating the camera control signals.
The camera unit may include a battery coupled to the camera control unit for powering the camera unit. The battery may be a rechargeable battery wherein the first and second plurality of docking connectors couple power signals to the camera unit to recharge the rechargeable battery at the docking station.
The camera unit may include a housing for housing the camera, the camera control unit, the camera transceiver unit and the first plurality of docking connectors.
The system may further include a mechanism for removably mounting the camera unit to a vehicle or a trailer. The mechanism may include at least one suction cup, at least one magnet or at least one pair of hold downs.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.